Another Lifetime
by Kazzy
Summary: Young Luke and Leia stories. New Story - 'Baby Steps' - So sweet it'll make your teeth hurt.
1. Kimi's Stroy pt1

**Author Notes:**

Coz I don't like to deceive my readers… *snort*shuffle*snicker* …ahem… there's a few things you should know about these stories: they're AU, based from a story of mine call 'A Moment in Time' – go read it, GO READ IT NOW (and review!).  (j/k)

Or _if you choose not to_, it's about what might happen if Padmé told no one she was pregnant and then hid herself and the twins on various planets, while on the run from the Empire. 

These stories are what happens to the twins at various times, in between the parts of 'A Moment in Time'. They're just stories that didn't fit into the main story, but because I liked writing Young Luke/Leia, I decided to write more.

They don't follow in chronological order, but I'll mark each one with the twins' age.****

**Title – **Kimi's Story**  
Author – **Kazzy**  
E-mail address – **kazzy@whoever.com **  
Rating – **G**   
Series – **A Moment in Time: Another Lifetime

**Summary – **A swimming pool and Luke's first kiss? An AU fic.****

**Disclaimer – **Star Wars and it's associated themes and characters aren't mine. Kimi is though. Yay.

**Notes –** Luke and Leia are about eight in this fic. **_READ and REVIEW_**. 

*********

Kimi Bra'shona sat in class and stared blankly at the teacher, bored out of her mind. She didn't know why she had to live in such a boring place – why couldn't her parents have chosen to live somewhere interesting? Why couldn't they move somewhere interesting _now_? However, Kimi and her sister Ria had been told that this was their home and they weren't moving. How blatantly unfair.

A light tap came from the classroom door, startling everyone in the classroom, including the droning teacher, into wakefulness. Mr. Rondoletti – the only human in the room apart from Kimi – called out, "Come in!"

In walked the principal, a Sullestan who was shorter than the two children who followed her. Two _human_ children, Kimi noticed, finally sitting up with interest. There were only eight human children in the school of a hundred, Kimi, Ria (who was ten), two five year olds in the baby class, three in the senior class (the year above Ria), and one in the year below Kimi. As a result Kimi's friends were a variety of aliens from different parts of the galaxy, and she had never had any human friends before.

The principal spoke quietly to Mr. Rondoletti for a moment and then left the two with him. Kimi noticed they held hands – _like babies_, she thought with a sneer – they were about the same height – shorter than her – and looked at the class in the same scared way. The class stared back at the two for a moment until Mr. Rondoletti interrupted, clearing his throat, "Class, this is Luke and Leia Tawhai, and they'll be joining us from today." He smiled down at the two in his vague way, and indicated a pair of empty seats near the middle of the room, "Why don't you two take a seat, and we'll all get back to our lesson on the history of Coruscant." Which would be a far more interesting place to live, reflected Kimi, even if it was boring to learn about. She glanced over at Luke and Leia, who still hadn't spoken, but we're looking up at the teacher, apparently interested in the lesson. Maybe they came from Coruscant.

Wait a second – if they had the same last name did that mean they were brother and sister? And if they were in Kimi's class did that mean they were the same age? So did that make them twins? Kimi had never met any real twins before. Didn't twins look like each other? These two didn't. 

 It looked like today was going to be interesting after all.

***

At lunchtime Kimi sat with her two best friends Meesha, a Twi'lek with pretty purple skin, which Kimi was so jealous of, and Cina, a Rodian, who was slightly stupid, but really nice. 

The school, like the planet, was a large mix of races, many of who were on the run from their own planet's authorities, or from the Empire. So most of the children grew up understanding a variety of languages, even if they could only speak their own. Kimi's family had always been here, since her great-grandparents had moved from…somewhere that Kimi couldn't remember right now. Cina's family had lived here nearly as long, and Meesha and her father had moved here last year.

Kimi, Meesha and Cina watched Luke and Leia who sat alone talking softly to each other, while eating. "Do you think they're nice?" Asked Meesha softly, in accented basic.

"Do you think they're twins?" asked Cina in her own language, surprising her two friends, by showing a little more inquisitiveness than they had though she possessed.

"We should find out." Kimi responded resolutely. Standing up, "Come on, let's go talk to them." So with her two friends flanking her, Kimi walked over to Luke and Leia, who looked up as the three approached. Luke, Kimi noticed had blue eyes and blond hair, and Leia had brown hair and eyes. _They don't look anything alike_, Kimi thought, _how can they be twins?_

Kimi crossed her arms and stared down at them, "Are you twins?" she asked, short and to the point.

"Yeah," said Leia, looking at Kimi as if she was really strange.

"Why don't you look like each other, then?" asked Kimi, and Meesha and Cina shifted in agreement, slightly behind her.

"'Coz, we're not identical, and a boy and girl twin can't be identical – don't you know that?" Leia's tone implied anyone who didn't know was stupid. Luke just looked at the three of them; seeing as Leia didn't seem to be very nice, Kimi turned her attention to him.

"Can't he talk?" she asked Leia, in such a rude way, that if her mother had heard her she would have had to do extra chores for a week (Kimi's parent's were very big on politeness and didn't seem to appreciate sometimes you had to be rude).

Leia glanced over at her brother, then back at the three friends, "'Course he can."

"Then why doesn't he? Is he stupid or something?"

"No. He just doesn't talk to stupid people." That hurt: Kimi was very smart she always got top in her class and her report was full of A's every single time.

"I'm not stupid."

"He thinks you are."

"How would you know? He hasn't _said anything_."

"He doesn't need to. I know what he thinks." This last comment seemed to amuse Luke – who still hadn't spoken – as he smiled slightly. He and Leia caught each other's eyes, and grinned in a way that implied a shared secret. "Besides, those two haven't said anything, how do I know they're not stupid?"

Meesha took offence at this last remark, "We're not stupid, eh Cina?" 

Cina shook her head vigorously, and responded with an emphatic 'no'.

Leia shrugged her shoulders in a way that reminded Kimi of Ria when she was being very annoying, "Whatever."

Not knowing where to go from there Kimi turned and stomped back to her place, with Meesha and Cina following. When they had sat down San, who sat next to her in class, and wouldn't say where he was from (although he looked like a human, but with pointy ears and lots of fur) leaned over and said, "Kimi, what are they like?"

"Dumb," said Kimi shortly, greatly disappointed with her first contact with humans her own age.

"And mean and stupid," added Meesha, with Cina nodding.

"Do you think they can swim?" he asked. The swim carnival was next month, and everyone in the school who could swim was working hard to be the best. Kimi always won in her class, and could swim faster even than Ria, which made Ria mad. But San was also a good swimmer; often coming second when he raced against Kimi and first when he didn't; because of this the competition between them was fierce and they weren't good friends. This all led them to compete over everything else, as well, including their schoolwork.

Swim Carnival hadn't occurred to Kimi, and it worried her – if Luke or Leia could swim well, then they might beat her and she wouldn't be first any more. She frowned then looked up at San, "I don't know, but they better not win Swim Carnival," she said, setting her jaw and determined to not let anyone beat her.  

***

Over the next few weeks Luke and Leia kept mostly to themselves, not really making many friends. They were so shy and quiet in class that Kimi wondered how Leia could be so mean on the playground. Of course, Kimi could be just as mean back, but she didn't see it that way. Kimi would put bugs in Leia's lunch, and Leia would try and trip Kimi as she walked through doorways. Kimi made sure all the girls didn't talk to Leia or Luke, and they all did what she said. Leia took to stealing Kimi's homework, so she got in trouble for not having it when Mr. Rondoletti asked for it.

What was strangely painful was San and Luke became good friends. Kimi had never particularly liked San all that much, but they had been in the same class since they had started school, she'd known him as long as she'd known Cina. But there they were. On the other hand, all Luke and San seemed to talk about was ships and flying.

Leia, just followed to two of them around, but San seemed to be nice to her, too. When Kimi told him she was mean, he said she wasn't. He also said that Luke and Leia had lived in all sorts of cool places. Kimi tried to tell him they were probably lying – no one like them would tell the truth – but San said _that_ wasn't true – he'd asked their mom and she said they'd really lived in all those places, so there. Kimi stopped talking to San then, deciding she'd just beat him at swim carnival.

***

On the day of the swim carnival, it was cloudy and a little bit cold, but the weatherman said it wasn't going to rain; so all the children (who came from species that _could_ swim) arrived at school ready for the big day. There would be no classes and after you had finished your races; if you didn't win, you could go home. If you won you had to stay for prize giving. Kimi always won.

There were lots of parents there. Kimi's mom wasn't because she had to work (like all the parents who weren't there), but her dad had convinced his boss to let him have a few hours, so he could watch his daughters' races.

Luke and Leia stood with a very pretty lady, who had brown hair and eyes – their mom, Kimi decided. Mr. Rondoletti stopped and talked to her, and she smiled at him and shook his hand. After that, San and his mom went over to talk to her. She smiled at them, as well. If Mrs. Tawhai smiled so much, why didn't Leia and Luke?

When Kimi checked the roster, she noticed her first race had people who she could beat easily. In the other race from her class, there was Luke and Leia and San. So she'd probably race them in the final. Luke and Leia were good at swimming (she'd seen them in P.E.), but she didn't know if they could beat her. Nobody who was her age – eight – had ever beaten Kimi at swimming before. So they better not.

As predicted, Kimi won her race, so she, and the two children who came second and third, would go into the final. Luke came first in his race (just), and Leia came second, with San not to much behind them. They would all go into the final. In the meantime, Ria came second in her heat race and third in her final, but she had a Mon Calamari in her class, so that was hardly fair.      

Finally, it was time to race again. They all lined up at the edge of the swimming pool, got ready to dive. San grinned at Kimi, who frowned back – swimming was very serious, then she caught Leia's eye and the other girl, standing beside her poked her tongue out. Kimi poked her tongue out back, determined to win the race. 

The starter went and Kimi dived into the pool in her best dive ever; then she raced, pulling her body through the water in a kind of freedom that was almost like flying, but better. Nothing was better than swimming, nothing.

Her arm hit the edge of the pool and a gentle hand came between her head and the hard wall. She stood up, beside her Luke and Leia were doing the same, San a second behind them and the other two in the race a couple of moments later. Kimi had raced so well, she had to have won. Even Luke and Leia who were really fast and could beat San could not be as fast as she was.

A crackling over the loud speaker announced the judge had the time scores. "In first place Leia Tawhai, second equal Luke Tawhai and Kimi Bra'shona, fourth place is San Lht…" but Kimi stopped hearing after she heard Leia's name. They were wrong! They had to be! Kimi was supposed to win. She always won, and she swam her very, very best today!

Luke and Leia clapped their hands together in triumph and Leia turned and smirked at Kimi, knowing she would make Kimi even madder than she already was. It was too much. It was bad enough Kimi had to be beaten, but to be beaten by this…and Kimi inserted a bad word that would get her mouth washed out with soap if her mother ever heard it.

So Kimi leapt at Leia, over the lane separators, and pushed her head under the water. Leia fought back – she was strong. She hit Kimi in the stomach making Kimi let go. Then hands, big hands – of the Wookie who was the assistant principal – lifted them out of the water holding them apart until their parents could come and get them.

Leia wasn't fighting anymore, but she glared at Kimi, as did Luke. San had dragged himself out of the water and came over to Kimi, "Whadda ya do that for, Kimi?"

She glared, at everyone, even ignoring the rather terrifying assistant principal's warning growl, "'Coz, she's dumb!"

"Not as dumb as you are!" snapped Leia. "Or as mean."

Kimi was about to say something more when the Wookie growled at them to be quiet, as they were in a lot of trouble. Kimi had no idea how much trouble until she saw her dad's face. Boy, was he mad.

After that there was a whole lot of yelling, and Kimi and Leia weren't allowed to be in prize giving. The assistant principal said they wouldn't be suspended, as this was a first offence for both of them, but if it ever happened again they would be. Then he sent them home. Ria was furious – she should be getting a prize for coming third in her race, instead she had to go home with her sister and dad. She hit Kimi hard on the arm when their dad wasn't looking, and wouldn't talk to her for the rest of the day.

***

**A/N: **Due to rules part two is in the next chapter.


	2. Kimi's Story pt2

Here's part two.

***

The next day, and for the rest of the week, the battles between Leia and Kimi heated up. They didn't play so many tricks any more, but they did start to say nastier stuff. There was one point where Kimi nearly felt bad for something she said, because it made Leia cry and Luke glare, but then she remembered all the horrible stuff Leia had said and she didn't feel so mean.

One morning, about eight standard days after Swim Carnival, Kimi got to school and found a note on her desk that read,

                _"I'm sorry. Meet me by the pool after school."_

_                                                                                                  -Luke_   

Kimi frowned it was probably a trick, but what if it wasn't? Maybe Leia was being mean to Luke and he wanted to help Kimi get back at his sister. She was sure Luke knew lots of ways to make Leia be sorry. Besides Luke had never been as bad as Leia, he just seemed to get mad when Leia got sad or hurt.

So, that was how Kimi found herself by the deserted pool after school that day. "Hey, Kimi!" said a soft voice behind her. She was so surprised; she just about jumped in the pool.

"Hey, don't do that."

Luke grinned, "Sorry."

"What do you want?" she asked suspiciously.

"To say sorry for Leia being so mean. I don't know why she does it – it isn't very nice. I always tell her to stop, but she doesn't."

Kimi was surprised, because he didn't seem to be lying or anything. Maybe she really could get him to help her get back at her archenemy. He did spend all that time at home with her after all. "It's OK, Luke. I don't blame you." She paused and sighed, he was really quiet – maybe he wouldn't want to help. But maybe he would. Kimi's mom always said 'you won't know 'til you ask'. She took the plunge, "Do you want help me make her stop?"

Luke didn't answer for a second or two, but glanced across at the scrub near the pool, squinting a little, then he nodded. "OK."

"You live at the same house, right?"

"Uh, yeah." Maybe he was better than Leia but he could still look at you as if you were really dumb, "She's my sister, we live with our mom."

"What about your dad?"

"Don't have one."

"Whadda ya mean? Everyone has a dad." She thought for a second, "Everyone human. Unless he's dead."

"We don't," he said grumpily. She was losing here, if she didn't hurry up he'd go away to play with his sister and be an enemy again.

"OK, whatever. You can help because you see her all the time. You can…" she outlined her plan. Luke nodded.

"Cool," he said when she was finished.

"So, you can do that?" she asked referring to his part in the plan. She'd have to tell Cina and Meesha about their parts later.

"Yes, we have the same room." Then he looked nervous, "Um, Kimi…can I ask you something…?"

"Yeah?" she asked. Now, he was being really strange.

"Can I kiss you? I never kissed a girl, but Leia's kissed a boy and she said it was really fun, so I want to know."

"I dunno." She really didn't know about that – wasn't kissing boys something you were supposed to do when you were older? Ria was ten and as far as Kimi knew she hadn't kissed any boys yet.

"Oh, come on. It'd make Leia really mad."

Well, _that_ would be good. "All right," she said reluctantly. Maybe kissing boys wasn't that bad.

"You hafta shut your eyes," he said very seriously, looking at the scrub again. She really wanted to know why he kept doing that. She tried to look, but decided that was rude and she didn't think you were supposed to be rude to the boy who was going to give you your first kiss.

"Why do I have to shut my eyes?"

Luke looked slightly annoyed, "'Coz, that's how you do it."

"All right." She closed her eyes and leaned forward, lips pursed.

To her great surprise, she didn't feel anything touch her lips, but she felt hands on her shoulders and then she was falling backwards, backwards. Just before she hit the cold water she heard laughing. Laughing from two people.

When she climbed back out of the swimming pool Luke had disappeared, so had the person from the scrub bushes. _It had been a trick_. A very mean trick. If Kimi hadn't been so mad she would have sat down and cried. As it was, she stomped home to tell her mom. Kimi's mom took one look at her daughter, grabbed the girl by the arm and dragged her to Luke and Leia's home. Despite Kimi's protests that she was still soaking wet.

The very pretty lady who had been at the Swim Carnival answered the door, she looked surprised, "Can I help you?" she asked very politely, frowning slightly when she saw Kimi and how wet she was.

"Mrs. Tawhai? You have a son named Luke?"

"Yes."

"Well, according to my daughter, he pushed her in the school swimming pool this afternoon."

Mrs. Tawhai turned and yelled down the hall, "Luke! Get out here right this second!"

Silently, Luke crept out of a doorway and down the hall, when he saw Kimi, however, he smirked, "Hi, Ki-mi," he said, "did you go swimming in your clothes?"

Mrs. Tawhai was no more impressed than Kimi or her mother, "Luke did you push this poor girl into the pool? That was a horrible thing to do, you certainly know better – I've taught you better. Now don't lie to me."

Luke eyes narrowed as if realizing how much trouble he could be in, but instead of trying to lie, like Kimi thought he would, he pointed at Kimi, "She was being mean to Leia. She even made Leia cry."

"No, I didn't!" Maybe Luke wasn't going to be the only one in trouble, but she could try and make sure she didn't get in too much trouble.

"Yeah, you did! You called her a—"

"Did NOT!"

"You did, too," said a new voice. Leia. She could move just as quietly as Luke and she had appeared at the door.

"No."

"All right," said Mrs. Tawhai, "maybe we all better come inside and see if we can work it out. She led them down the narrow passage to a small living room, "Luke go and make some tea, Leia go and find some towels for…I'm sorry, I didn't catch either of your names?" _She's nice_, thought Kimi, _wonder why Luke and Leia are so mean?_ Thinking back to the Swim Carnival when Mrs. Tawhai smiled more than her children, she seemed like such a good mom.

"Sorry," replied Kimi's mom, who seemed to like Mrs. Tawhai as well, "I'm Mineha Bra'shona, and this is my daughter Kimi."

Mrs. Tawhai, inclined her head slightly and smiled gently, "Padmé Tawhai, and of course my children, Luke and Leia. I wish we were to meet under better conditions."

"Well, hopefully, this will sort itself out soon enough." Just then Leia scuttled back into the room with some towels. Kimi eyed them suspiciously for a moment, but it didn't look like they had anything bad done to them. Her mother apparently unaware of her concern wrapped, the towels around Kimi. They were warm and fluffy and dry. Kimi pulled them tighter around her shoulders. Luke entered with a teapot and five cups.

When the tea was served – and it really did help Kimi feel better – Mrs. Tawhai took the lead by turning to Luke, "OK, what happened, Luke I want you to tell me everything, and tell the truth, then I am going to hear from Kimi and Leia." She glanced up at Kimi's mom. 

"Sounds good to me." 

"Well, on our first day," Luke began, "Kimi said me and Leia were stupid."

"Leia and I," corrected his mother.

"Whatever. Kimi said Leia and I were stupid."

"She said it first."

"Quiet Kimi, you'll have your turn in a moment." Kimi glared at her mom, thinking this was completely unfair.

"She didn't. And anyway, after that Kimi and Leia kept playing tricks on each other, then at Swim Carnival, when Leia beat Kimi, Kimi tried to drown Leia by pushing her head under the water…"

"Wait a moment, I remember that," said Mrs. Bra'shona, and Mrs. Tawhai was nodding. Kimi thought, _uh-oh_, knowing she was in big trouble now; Kimi trying to drown Leia was as bad as Luke trying to drown Kimi – at least in adults' eyes. Kimi didn't think it was the same at all, but she knew her mom would. Kimi's mom turned to her, "You're still grounded because of that, Kimi Bra'shona. You didn't tell me it was this girl."

"Uh—" Kimi tried to think of something to say, but Luke hadn't finished his story, even if the next bit would get him in trouble.

"So I told Kimi to meet me at the pool and she told me about a trick to play on Leia, and I pushed her in." Leia nodded seriously in agreement.

"Is that all you have to say, Luke?" asked Mrs. Tawhai, and he nodded. "Well, then Kimi what do you think happened?"

"When they first got here, I went to talk to them with Meesha and Cina; Leia was really mean to us 'cause we didn't know twins could look different from each other. Then she started being really horrible to me all the time—"

"And I bet you were really horrible right back to her," said Mrs. Bra'shona. "I know you, Kimi, you wouldn't take that lying down, but carry on, you should say your piece then we'll work out what truly happened." She sighed and Kimi was angry that her mom didn't quite believe she was telling the truth.

"At Swim Carnival, when Leia won she kept looking at me funny, I wanted to make her stop, so I dunked her and she kicked me in the stomach. Then today I got a note from Luke, so I went to the pool and he pushed me in." She finished her story and stuck her chin out.

"Right, thank you Kimi. Leia, what's your story?"

"Same as Luke, except Kimi called him stupid first, because he didn't want to talk. And he didn't have to."

"Right, I see," said Luke and Leia's mom, exchanging looks with Kimi's mom. Kimi knew that look. It meant that the adults didn't know whose fault it really was so they were all going to get in trouble. "It looks to me as if you're all to blame for this, and I'm extremely disappointed, you're all eight years old," she glanced at Kimi's mom to make sure, then, at Mrs. Bra'shona's nod, carried on. "Particularly in you two," she indicated her own children. "I know I've taught you there are better ways to act if you get mad, counting to ten and thinking about how much you could get the other person hurt for one and for another you could tell an adult, who can help you sort out your problems. This behaviour really is unacceptable. I'm so very, very disappointed." She hadn't yelled once and yet Luke and Leia seemed to crumple, Kimi looked at their sad faces that looked like they were going to cry and wondered. Wow, if her mom ever said anything like that…well, Kimi would be jumping for joy because there was no yelling.

"And you Kimi Bra'shona! Do you want me to list all the trouble you'll be in at home? You need to think about what you're doing!"  The yelling was going to start soon; Kimi just knew it.

But then something happened, "Don't be too hard on her, Mineha, she did have a fair amount of provocation. I know these two, and they'll cause plenty of trouble when backs are turned."

Kimi's mother nodded, "I'll keep that in mind, Padmé. Now, we better get going, and I'll trust we'll have no further trouble out of the three of you?" All three nodded, Luke and Leia looked properly subdued.

***

Luke and Leia ignored Kimi for the remainder of that week, and Kimi paid them the same respect. She was kind of sad, though, she still hadn't had her first kiss and she guessed if a boy was going to be cute (and she wasn't sure they could be), then she was sure Luke would be considered so. Besides, no boy had ever kissed Ria, and it was so cool to be able to do things before her sister, as sometimes it seemed as though Ria _always_ did stuff first.

On the first day of the next week Kimi was nearly late to school because one of the pipes in the kitchen had been block and over flowed flooding the kitchen. This meant the water to their house had to be turned off, so there was no water in the house for the rest of the day. Mr. Bra'shona had made his family all stay and clean it up before leaving for the day. He'd given a note for the teachers to each daughter. Which, as they had just made it in time, they turned out not to need.

Kimi sat down as the bell for the start of class rang. To her surprise on her desk there was a piece of fruit. A particularly sweet and hard to find fruit. She looked around to see if anyone would own up to leaving it there. No one did.

She didn't notice the way Luke looked away quickly when her head snapped up, nor the way Leia glared at her brother before turning her attention to the front of the classroom.

Two day later, the twins and their mother were gone from the planet as if they had disappeared into thin air.

Two days after that, Imperial Storm Troopers arrived and make sweeping arrests that would include parents of many of Kimi's schoolmates.

It would take years of puzzling for the young Kimi Bra'shona to figure out who had left the fruit for her.

***

**Notes: **Please review.     


	3. War of the Spoons

**Title – **War of the Spoons**   
E-mail address – **kazzy@whoever.com **  
Rating – **G**  
Series – **A Moment in Time: Another Lifetime

**Summary – **Luke, Leia and flying spoons (what more could you possibly ask for?)

**Disclaimer – **I don't own Star Wars or it's associated themes and characters and I don't make any money out of writing fan fiction (if I did then I wouldn't need a student loan, would I?) 

**Notes –** Again, this is based on 'A Moment in Time'. Here Obi-Wan has been training the twins for about two years. They are twelve. This is my attempt at humour. 

Thanks to Kathy for the beta.

*****

Luke was bored, bored and more bored. 'The Function of the Senate in the Republic' was pretty much the dullest topic his mother could have chosen for him and his twin sister, Leia, to write about. When you thought about it, what possible good could it do for anyone to analyse a dead government?

However, his mother disagreed, and his sister apparently took her side. Leia, sitting across from him, was attacking the assignment with a zeal that disgusted her twin. He had tried, during the course of the afternoon, to catch her attention. She had, so far, studiously ignored him.

He wanted to do something interesting. Like lightsabre practise or flying. Unfortunately, neither the lightsabres nor the ship were in easy reach, so both of those were out of the question. What did that leave?

Nothing, as far as Luke could see. Just as he was about to give up and turn back to the 'Importance of the Chancellor' segment, he spied something glinting on the counter top, and a slow smile spread over his face. Perfect. There was more to being a Jedi than lightsabres or flying. Or at least the flying of people in ships. Other things could fly, too. Plus it would great way to distract Leia from over-achieving.

Very carefully, Luke concentrated. It wasn't easy; the object only shifted slightly at first, but with focus (and Obi-Wan's lessons were all about focus), it lifted up and floated slowly across to the table. Luke's grin broadened, but the spoon drooped as his concentration failed.

If she sensed his highly focused state, Leia obviously attributed it to his assignment – one she thought was fascinating. She didn't notice the small, shiny object floating about two inches above her.

Luke was now biting his lip in a mixture of amusement and concentration. Leia might pretend to be a goody-good, but she was as bad as him. And he intended to prove it.

He lacked the control to dip one end of the object and tap Leia on the head. For a few seconds he paused and then momentarily slackened his force-grip on the object, before flicking it back up.

Leia shrieked and grabbed her head as something hit her there. She looked up and spied a _spoon_ floating just out of grasp. With a second louder, angrier cry she launched herself at her brother, knocking her chair over and sending several books and pieces of paper to the floor at the same time.

Luke, having anticipated his sister's attack, dived for the lounge. The spoon dropped to the table with a clatter and Luke watched it warily from his hiding hole. Moving things like that took a lot of control and focus; hopefully she'd be too out of focus to do much right now. When it didn't move, and Leia had disappeared – suspiciously – from sight, he grabbed it and _pulled_. The spoon shot at him at something close to the speed of light. Luke ducked and the spoon hit the wall and fell to the floor bent out of shape. It left a not-so-invisible dent in the wall. 

A cushion chose that moment to pick itself up off the couch and fly into Luke's face. He made sure that he didn't push as hard as he had pulled the spoon, but the resistance against him quite suddenly disappeared, and the cushion reacted accordingly by flying into the kitchen. Leia quickly ducked out of the doorway and the cushion sailed straight past her. He tried to pull it back or stop it or something – a loud crash indicated how unsuccessful he was.

"Ha! Luke – you're going to get it! That was Mom's last bottle of Red Sauce." Luke winced at his sister's triumphant tone. Red Sauce was incredibly difficult to get, and his mother loved it. He was so dead. Then he shrugged – might as well take his twin down with him. 

First, though, he needed to avoid getting his eye gouged out by the spoon heading in his direction.

He ducked back behind the couch. The spoon floated over his head and he made to grab it out of the air, both with the force and his hands. But he missed. He groaned in frustration then looked down at his own spoon, which was badly out of shape. He needed to fix that before he could continue. Once he had carefully twisted it back into shape – these spoons had previously shown themselves to be ill equipped for this type of usage – he concentrated.

It lifted into the air. Glancing around the room he could see neither Leia nor her spoon so he stepped out from his spot and headed for the kitchen. His twin – wherever she might be – did not surface. Well, it was a small apartment (although not as small as the one they'd lived in when they first arrived on Tatooine); he'd find her.

However, there was a problem, which manifested itself at the kitchen door. He'd forgotten that you could see the door to the lounge from the door to the hall, and Leia had obviously been lying in wait. Attack from above! Something hard hit him on the shoulder. Best guess was she'd been trying for his head, but misjudged her aim. His own spoon fell to the ground – again, damn her. "Leia! That hurt!"

"Cry-baby!" All right then, this was war.

He guessed she hadn't waited to see the results of her actions, as she was nowhere in sight. However, her voice had come from somewhere down the hall – one of the bedrooms or the refresher then. Good – she'd be trapped. You couldn't jump out a three-storey window (or at least they couldn't _yet_). So, unless she managed to get behind him he could force her into a corner, and…well, he wasn't sure what he was going to do, but it'd be good. He'd find a suitable punishment for his twin. She'd gotten him twice, after all, and he'd only gotten her once. Payback.

Picking up the two spoons – manually, as using the Force too much was exhausting – he winced at the sight of the cushion lying in the puddle of Red Sauce and glass shards. Oh well, couldn't do anything about it now.

As he was no longer concentrating on the flying spoons he could feel her presence in either her own room or in the refresher. Well, they both only had one door. Unfortunately, if he checked one and she was in the other, she'd be able to get in behind him and the result would not be pretty. He opened the 'fresher door first, and there she stood, by the hand basin, looking innocent, but focused.

Gut instinct saved him. He stepped back trying to get a calm grip on the Force and _pushed_. A cup flew back, hit the tiles above Leia sending a shower of some sort of gunk and – oops – glass into her hair.

Two all! However, one glance at his sister's face had him spinning on his heels, racing down the hall and into his room. Leia was close behind; using language their mother would wash her mouth out for. He slammed his door and used the split second available to him to dive under the bed.

There was a thump as Leia slammed into the door, her body not quite registering it was shut, and then it flew open.

"Luke Skywalker – come out, you little coward!" she yelled as the door hit the wall, shaking loose some plaster. She fell silent when she realised she couldn't see her brother. This gave him two seconds before she found him. What to do? 

The spoons were still clutched in his hand. He placed them on the floor and focused. Half a second later when Leia appeared at eye level he threw them forward at her. She was ready for him, though, and pushed them aside.

Deciding that as he was now weaponless, it would be a disadvantage to remain under the bed, he rolled out and smirked at his somewhat dishevelled twin. She glared.

"Nice look, Leia maybe you should go with it more often." She had been so vain about her looks lately it was too easy to taunt her.

She launched herself at him and they fell on to the bed, dislodging the mattress in the process. This bumped the bedside table, causing the lamp sitting on it to fall to the floor and shatter.

Now, flat on his back on the floor, Luke stared up at Leia, sitting on his chest, trying to wrap her hands around his neck. He pretended to let her win, then reached up and…tickled her.

He suddenly found himself able to breathe as she tried to free herself and move off of him, but he wasn't letting her away that easily. She finally managed to collapse sideways, to lie beside him, gasping. He sat up, but didn't stop tickling. "Luke! Luke! Stop! I can't breathe!"

"Now you know how I feel," he said, pretending to be angry, but stopping anyway. He flopped back down on his back and looked up at the devastation in his room. He snickered, thinking about how much fun this 'war' had been. Still, he was quite tired now – in that peculiar way that using the Force too much made you. There was also a slight throb in his temple. He wondered if Leia felt the same way.

"We are in sooo much trouble," said his sister. He looked over at her and both of them burst out laughing. He was happy she'd lightened up a bit. She'd been so grumpy lately; it was good to be able to have some fun even if it got them in a lot of trouble.

Just then the front door slammed, and he saw Leia's eyes widen. He counted three before their mother yelled, "Luke! Leia! Get out here this instant!" Suddenly all desire to laugh vanished as they shuffled down the hall to explain to their mom exactly what had happed to the apartment. 


	4. Meetings ML

**Title – **Meetings**  
E-mail address – **kazzy@whoever.com **  
Series – **A Moment in Time: Another Lifetime

**Summary –** Ever wondered if there were just some people you were destined to meet? Slight M/L.****

**Disclaimer – **Star Wars and it's associated themes and characters aren't mine. 

**Notes – **This is a companion piece to my fic "A Moment in Time". You should read this, but _you don't need to. _

All you need to know is that Padmé raised the twins herself, without telling the Jedi. When the twins were about ten she happened to bump into Obi-Wan and he began to train them. The twins are about fifteen here.

*****

He should have been in a good mood. Technically, this was a school field trip – or the closest he and Leia ever came to a school trip, at any rate. And the market place they were walking through was fantastic. He'd never seen anything like it in his life. Except maybe once on a holovid. When he was very young.

Bustling, bright with colours, people – humans and aliens – and a huge variety of stalls selling food, clothing, jewellery and other items from all over the galaxy. Musicians and performers were scattered throughout the crowds, entertaining those who'd flocked here. There weren't many places like this left in the glaxay, and even fewer in the outer rim.  The streets were packed with people, all talking at once, and children who ran and laughed and screamed.

Nearby, an infant from a race that Luke couldn't identify hit a pitch that came close to damaging his hearing, and through the gap that formed around the child, he saw what he assumed to be the baby's mother, yelling at the father. The child screamed on and Luke picked up his pace to escape the noise and catch up to his own mother and sister who were ahead – far more eager to reach their destination than he was.

The three of them were headed for a council meeting here. Their mother had decided that it would be educational for them to see how a local government body was run. Of course, she didn't approve of Jabba the Hutt, which was why they were here and not on Tatooine. Leia had been agreeable, and Padmé had snatched the chance to spend some time with her children that was not 'about Jedi or lessons'.

Luke was fairly sure he wasn't going to enjoy this, and had only agreed to come along because his mother had allowed him to pilot their ship, _World Bouncer,_ the entire way. He'd much rather be learning how to be a Jedi or a pilot. Politics bored him. He just simply didn't see how his best friend – his twin sister – could possibly think it was this interesting. All that happened was a bunch of stuffy beings with no idea about what the people needed or wanted sat round and decided how to run the galaxy (or at least their segment of it).  

Despite his reluctance, he knew that it wasn't what was causing his discomfort. No, what was making him edgy enough that he had to keep forcing his hand away from where his – concealed – lightsabre hung, were the stormtroopers. They were everywhere. It was making Luke's skin creep. He'd never been anywhere with so many open loyal Imperials; the whole experience was driving him to distraction. He could feel similar nerves rolling off his twin, and even their usually imperturbable mother was looking a little strained.

He had spent his entire life running away from Imperials and hearing about the evils of the Empire, and being told what a terrible person Palpatine was. Strangely, neither Obi-Wan nor the twin's mother had very much to say about the Emperor's right hand man, Darth Vader). To be this close…Luke was surprised the stormtroopers hadn't noticed his jumpiness and come over to investigate and arrest him. But no-one had. So he just kept on walking, trying to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells that accompanied this weird and wonderful place.

Suddenly, nearby, someone shouted, "STOP! THIEF!" A being dashed past him, brushing against his outer tunic, and almost revealing his lightsabre. As the thief ran off, Luke double-checked his belongings, but they were all safely in place. He craned his neck to see if the being would get caught. Unfortunately, this meant he wasn't looking where he was going and so he ran headlong into someone else. Their foreheads hit with a crack and they both landed on their rear ends on the ground.

The other scrambled to their feet, quickly and gracefully, but Luke was only a second behind her. Yes, her. In front of him was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. No, forget pretty. She was beautiful.

"W-whoa!" he breathed, absolutely entranced.

"Watch where you're going, oaf!" she snapped. Apparently she had a temper to go with the long red hair that hung down her back. Her bright green eyes burned into his. "What're you staring at?" she said suspiciously.

"Nothing," he had the sense to reply.

She was about his and Leia's age. But if Leia had ever worn what this girl was wearing – a tight black body suit, with matching boots, and a blaster at her side – their mother would have locked her up for a month. He briefly spared a thought as to who would let this girl wear such a thing, but he'd met enough street kids in his life to know that 'let' probably had very little to do with it. Although, she didn't look much like any of the street kids he'd ever known…

The girl was still glaring at him, and they both seemed frozen in place, the crowds moving around them, oblivious. "Well, aren't you going to apologise? For not looking where you were walking," she growled.

His mother's strict upbringing on manners quickly surfaced. "I-I'm s-sorry," he stuttered. Then his own eyes narrowed, "What about you?" he snapped. "Maybe, I wasn't looking where I was going, but I don't think you were either!"

"I don't apologise to anyone!"

"What's going on?" Leia had arrived. "Mom says—"

She had noticed the stranger. Luke watched as his sister sized up the other girl, and the girl did the same to Leia. Neither changed their expressions in the slightest, but he knew Leia was curious about this newcomer, and slightly scornful of her clothing, while being confused as to why her twin was standing here talking to her. The other girl, well, even through the Force there was no telling what she thought of Leia. He was slightly offended by the girl's apparent ambivalence, but not, he would admit later, privately, as much as he probably should have been.  

"Oh, your _mother_," sneered the redhead. This time her disdain for the twins was obvious. It seemed that she thought they were too old to be with their mother, so was scornful of them.

"Well, where's yours?" snapped Leia. "She forget about you? I wouldn't be surprised. Come on, Luke." She grabbed at her brother's arm and attempted to pull him along. 

He tugged himself free, still staring at the girl, who was looking back at him with those bright eyes of hers. "Leia!"

"Luke! We're late!"

"Well, go on, then, I'll catch up." The girl was stunning. He just wanted to look at her for a few more moments. All right, he wanted to do more than just look, but he was fairly sure that if he did more, he'd get that wicked looking blaster pointed straight at him. So, he'd just look for now.

"No, you won't. You'll be late and embarrass us," Leia rudely interrupted his thoughts.

"We're already late, what's a few more minutes going to do?" he turned to face her.

He recognised the look on her face and knew the futility of arguing with her when she was like this. Of course, that had never stopped him from doing so before. Besides, if he could delay her for a few moments, he _would _win.  

She threw up her hands. "Everything!"

He snorted, "Oh yeah, 'everything', 'cause being late to some public council meeting, on this planet, is going to be so embarrassing and ruin your chances of being a politician for all time."

"Luke!"

"And why anyone would want to be a politician, anyway? I mean sitting on your rear-end all day, discussing topics that have no use whatsoever, while—"

"And why," she cut him off, "would anyone want to fly through space, doing _nothing at all_, while everyone suffers?"

"That," he said, "is a matter of opinion."

She smirked, "Likewise."

"And now we really are late," he injected as much saccharine into his tone as he could manage.

"Blast you!" she snarled, and it was his turn to smirk. The expression died when he realised the redhead had disappeared.

"Where'd she go?"

"Guess she wasn't as interested in you as you were in her." Okay, that was harsh. He scowled at his sister, but she didn't look very triumphant, and he knew she was worrying about being late. 

"Oh, come on, let's go," he said as magnanimously as he could. She nodded curtly, and turned on her heel. He felt kind of sorry for her; he knew that what she wanted was to be a senator. From where she was, though, it was kind of a hard position to reach. She could get no formal training, so was completely reliant on their mother for her learning. To further her troubles practical experience was hard to come by in their reach of the galaxy. Their mother had once mentioned to Luke that Leia would have made an exceptional senator, had she been somewhere she could be trained properly. He remembered how sad his mother had been at the thought. _It's not fair_, she had whispered to him, _not for her, not for you_. He had protested that he didn't want to be a politician, knowing that wasn't what she'd meant – just trying to distract her a little. She had responded with a laugh, ruffling his hair, and he ducked out of the way in mock horror, glad to have moved her thoughts away.

Now, he scanned the streets, hoping for one more glance of the strange girl. None materialised, so he gave up and hurried after his sister. When he reached her, he gave her a tentative smile. She ignored him. He wasn't forgiven yet, but he could change that very easily.

By the time they reached their mother, waiting impatiently outside the council rooms, Leia was smiling again, talking animatedly to her twin about what she expected to happen here today. He was trying his best to pay attention – he really was – which was more than he usually did. Still, his thoughts flowed back to the hot-tempered, redheaded girl, and he wondered if he would ever see her again.

***

Mara Jade had slipped away as the brother and sister had argued over some minor matter. She considered them completely inconsequential when she compared them to what her master bade her to do.

Yet, something made her turn back and look once more at the boy she had run into. She didn't know why, but she wanted to see him one more time; she wanted him to see her. He was still arguing with his sister and didn't look up. She was strangely disappointed when he seemed to have lost interest in her. She ignored the feeling. After all, why should some strange boy, who meant nothing to anyone other than his sister, mean anything to her?

She carried on her way, and was soon out of sight of him. Because of this, she never noticed when he turned to look for her.

***

Please review.


	5. Uncle

> Title – Uncle  
Rating – PG  
Series – A Moment in Time: Another Lifetime
> 
> **Summary – **Owen Lars has had a hard day, his visitors aren't about to make it any easier.
> 
> **Disclaimer – **Star Wars and it's associated themes and characters aren't mine.
> 
> **Notes – **For the longest time I've had this image of the twins sitting on a couch at the Lars' with Padmé standing in the middle of the room, and Owen Lars walking in. This is what eventuated. Rating coz Owen is grumpy.
> 
> **TIME LINE:**This takes place directly after Part One, so the twins are ten years old. They've just arrived on Tatooine.
> 
> * * *
> 
> ****
> 
> Owen Lars hadn't had a good day. One of the vaportators had developed some bug and he was going to have to get someone over to take a look. Then his newest droid had started spitting out its vital pieces. Those damn Jawas selling him junk again. An ache was beginning to form between his eyebrows and another had started in his shoulder blades long ago. He'd been looking forward to coming home to his wife and eating a quiet dinner with her.
> 
> He walked in the door to find Beru nervous and flustered. She accosted him in the entrance, wringing her hands, looking positively spooked. Alarmed, all other worries gone, Owen reached out and touched her arm briefly. "What's wrong, Beru? Is it the Sand People?" If those wretched Tuskins had been spotted near the homestead…
> 
> "No-o-o," she said. "Oh Owen, it's Padmé!"
> 
> "Padmé?" His twice-dratted brother's wife? What in the name of dual suns was she doing here?
> 
> "Where is she?" he asked feeling his headache come back in full strength.
> 
> "In the living room. But Owen, there something else."
> 
> He'd been about to stomp in and confront the woman, if only for upsetting Beru in that way, but at his wife's comment he turned back. "What?" he asked warily. He should have known, after all, those Skywalkers never did anything the easy way. There was always something else.
> 
> "She has two children with her. A boy and a girl. Twins."
> 
> "His?" he asked suddenly worried. Anakin's children, that was all they needed. Couldn't the line have ended with his accursed stepbrother? Owen had always maintained that it was good Shmi had died when she had done. Seeing what her son had become would have destroyed her; Anakin had hurt her enough when she'd been living.
> 
> He still remembered the day Kenobi had come to tell him what had happened to his brother. It was knowledge he could have lived without. Better to think the bastard had died in the Clone Wars or on some stupid Jedi mission, or even had been hit by a speeder on Coruscant than to have to live the knowledge he was related – albeit by marriage – to Darth Vader. He'd chased Obi-Wan off his property, but the damn idiot had taken up residence on Tatooine.
> 
> "She claims they are, and looking at that little boy I couldn't say less. But Owen, she's asked that we don't mention _him_ to them."
> 
> He snorted, "Lying to them already, is she?" Spinning he stomped down the hall and into the main room.
> 
> Standing in the middle of the floor was Padmé Amidala Skywalker. He's forgotten just how beautiful his brother's wife was. He thought the world of Beru, she was a kind and generous soul, lovely in her own way, not to mention there was no one in the galaxy he would rather come home to. But Padmé was stunning. Older now, more careworn, and wearing clothes that were nothing like the finery she'd once donned, she was still beautiful.
> 
> Two children, about ten standard years old sat on the couch. He spared them only a glance, but that was long enough to affirm that the boy did indeed resemble the Anakin that had grinned cheekily out of his mother's sole holo of him.
> 
> "Padmé," he said, and even he could hear the coldness in his voice.
> 
> She turned to look at him startled. "Owen, it's good to see you again…" she offered tentatively.
> 
> "Is it?" he queried. "Why are you here Padmé?" He rubbed his temples and stole another glance at the children. They watched him warily, but didn't say anything, or move from their perch.
> 
> "We've come to Tatooine for stay, for a while." Her gesture included the children. "I thought I should bring them out here. They don't have a lot of family, Owen, I just wanted to introduce them to you." He looked at her sharply, was she saying something that he was missing, or did she mean for him to take her words at face value?
> 
> He strode over to the couch and looked down at the two, they squirmed a little under his gaze. The boy reached out and took his sisters hand and she glared up at Owen. He could feel Padmé about to interrupt, but he held his hand up to ward her off. So these were Anakin's children. "Owen…" the warning came from Beru who stood at the doorway, but he ignored her.
> 
> "Well, what are your names?" he said to the children, surprised in spite of himself that his tone gentled.
> 
> "I'm Luke."
> 
> "And I'm Leia."
> 
> "How old are you?" he asked, this time curious. To be Anakin's children he assumed them to be ten. Older than that he and Beru would have heard of their birth, younger and the whole galaxy would know of Darth Vader's children. But it wasn't safe to make assumptions.
> 
> "Ten, sir!"
> 
> He grunted, "You don't look it." They were small children, but Padmé was not a tall woman, and there was something in their eyes he'd pin on someone much older. He turned to his sister-in-law. "I wouldn't have thought his children would be so scrawny."
> 
> Padm's eyes snapped slightly, and he guessed that was a sore topic. "They're still young, Owen. They'll grow." He remembered the tall, slender figure of Anakin. If they were going to inherit their father's height they had a long way to go. Of course, Shmi had always spoken of her small little boy, but he'd put that down to a mother's memories.
> 
> "They get other things from him?" he asked, and from the way she stilled completely and pain flooded her features he knew she knew to what he referred.
> 
> She started painfully, and he felt a small twinge of guilt. "If by that you mean are they Force-sensitive? Then yes, they are." _Ah, the bitter truth. _More Jedi.
> 
> "You'd be wanting Kenobi then, wouldn't you?" he asked snidely, but surprised at his own negativity.
> 
> "We've already seen him. He's going to train them."
> 
> "So we were second on your list of 'things to do and see while on Tatooine'?" He'd gone too far with that comment, and he knew it.
> 
> "Owen!" Beru strode into the room, glaring at him. "That was uncalled for." Luke and Leia sat up straighter, glaring at him in earnest now. They didn't speak up, and Owen wondered at it, how far would he have to go before they would?
> 
> "Owen, I know you're angry, and I don't blame you." He turned his glare up to full-force, but Padmé didn't back down. "Truth is we met Obi-Wan by accident—" she threw a look at the children and Luke squirmed— "and he reminded me you were out here. I think I would have come anyway, but whether you like it or not we're all connected. I thought you should meet your niece and nephew. They are Shmi's grandchildren, you know." He'd been avoiding thinking of those two beings as that. Anakin's children he could handle, he hadn't known the man that well, but Shmi's grandchildren? He could barely remember his own mother, and Shmi gave him something to remember, something good.
> 
> "She loved him and he left her!" he snapped. He hadn't said his stepbrother's name out loud, but he wondered if in his anger he would. "He came back to have her die, and then he betrayed her memory!" The words really had nothing to do with the here and now, nothing to do with the woman and her children, but they came out any way, loud and angry. "Had she lived it would have devastated her. Do you really want to give his children that kind of training?" he spat out.
> 
> "Owen!" Beru was horrified. The children looked up at him with wide eyes, not understanding what was going on around them, what the adult's discussion was about. For a second he caught Luke's eyes and saw that they were the same clear blue as Anakin's had been, but they looked at him like Shmi might have.
> 
> He stormed out of the room, before he said anymore and upset Shmi's grandchildren. As he headed for the courtyard he heard Beru's flustered attempts and apologies and Padm's calmer, defeated reassurances, and above it all a child's voice asking what was going on. He regretted what he'd said, but he didn't know how to go back and apologise.
> 
> A few minutes later Beru led Padmé, Leia and Luke outside, and Owen watched them from the shadows. Despite this Leia glanced his way unerringly and nudged her brother who looked over as well. They walked up the steps to the desert, and Owen followed them uncertainly. Neither Beru nor Padmé seemed to notice, but the children stole unreadable glances at him over their shoulders. From that angle they looked very alike.
> 
> "If there's anything you need, please contact us, Padmé. And the children, we'd love to have them back sometime…" she trailed off and he winced slightly. They'd been unable to have children themselves, and every time she went into town she watched the local children. She was always giving them sweets and other small things. There were times he had to chase the Darklighter children home, before their parents came looking for them. If he'd been able to give her a child, he would, but the fact remained that they couldn't have any.
> 
> Padmé settled her children in the back of the speeder he had somehow failed to notice earlier, quelling a growing fight between the two young ones. "I'll do that, Beru, thank you for your kindness."
> 
> "Padmé!" he called and she turned to him, her chin going up. _Damn, but those children must be stubborn with parents like those!_ "You got a place to keep those children of yours?"
> 
> "I've rented an apartment in Mos Eisley. We're going to need a bigger one, but it'll do for now." Pride was there, too. Would she accept help if she needed it?
> 
> "You're welcome to stay here if you need to." As a peace offering it had a way to go, but it was the best he could do. He saw in her eyes something shift; a slight relaxation.
> 
> "Yes, do!" Enthusiasm from Beru's corner, and he could only imagine how much she'd adore having two children to feed up. And it looked like these could use it.
> 
> "Not tonight," Padmé said gently. "I only rented this speeder and if I don't get it back before the suns have set, I'll be paying some amount that would make Jabba cry." She smiled ruefully, and shook her head. Owen wondered what it was like to go from having as much as she must have had to having as little as she probably did now. He supposed she was doing remarkably well.
> 
> "Well, goodbye then," Padmé said awkwardly.
> 
> "Goodbye Padmé, you will come back and visit, won't you?" Beru reached out and warmly grasped the other woman's hands.
> 
> "Of course."
> 
> "Goodbye Luke, Leia, be good for your mother."
> 
> Padmé leaned into the speeder and poked the children. Luke scowled and Leia frowned, but they answered dutifully enough, "Goodbye Aunt Beru."
> 
> "Say goodbye to your Uncle Owen, he might smile that way." That was Beru's less than subtle way of telling him to stop being so sour, and treat his niece and nephew properly.
> 
> "Goodbye Uncle Owen," they chorused, but did he detect some resentment? Probably, he hadn't been very nice to them.
> 
> He was about to be a little less nice, but he was tired of their exemplary behaviour so far. They were being a little too good for Anakin's children. It was unnatural. Owen turned to Padmé. "So," he said, "are they children or droids?" She scowled.
> 
> "I'm not a droid and neither's Leia!" Luke leapt out of the speeder, fists clenched. Leia slithered out more gracefully, but she was no less mad.
> 
> Owen's chuckle surprised both children and they looked guiltily at their mother. "Back in the speeder, both of you. Owen, leave them be, please," Padmé admonished. "They were on their best behaviour."
> 
> Luke scrambled back inside the vehicle, but Leia glared at her uncle for a few more moments before following him. Interesting, so Luke had the temper, yet Leia was the one who held on to her anger.
> 
> Owen barely kept from jumping when Beru pinched him sharply in the side, just out of sight of their guests. "Goodbye children. Goodbye Padmé," he told them gravely. "Be careful, out there. You don't want to run into any Sand People."
> 
> Padm's answering nod was grim. She knew the dangers all too well. She climbed into the speeder, lifted a hand in farewell and drove off. Turning around in their seats, Luke and Leia watched until they were out of sight completely. Owen wondered if they looked out the back, long after the homestead had disappeared.
> 
> Beru leaned against him in a rare gesture of closeness. "They were sweet," she said.
> 
> "Trouble, if you ask me," he grumbled.
> 
> "Oh, Owen!"
> 
> "But I suppose they'll make an interesting change, 'round here."
> 
> She gave no reply, just leaned in a little more.
> 
> _
> 
> * * *
> 
> _
> 
> _Please review._


	6. Baby Steps

**A/N:** This is so sweet it will make your teeth hurt. It's so fluffy I nearly didn't post it. Enjoy. 

Dedicated to Hashem. 

======

**Baby Steps**

Luke stood on his unsteady baby legs and wobbled slightly. Then, unexpectedly, he took a step. And then another. Padmé held her breath. In all his ungraceful baby-ness he took two more steps before seeming to realise what he was doing and with a horrified wail toppled backwards on his rear-end. "Mamamamamama!"

He waved his arms at her earnestly, and Padmé scooped him up. Over his fright quickly, he quietened and cooed at his mother.

"Awww," she said with a smile. "What a clever boy!"

Luke pulled back slightly and then leaned in and threw his arms around her, leaned back and then did the same again when she grinned at him. Both of the twins interacted a lot with her, and were friendly with strangers.

Speaking of twins, what mischief was the other one getting into? Turn your back and she caused all sorts of mayhem. Although, to be fair, she caused a fair bit of trouble right in front of her mother, too.

However, it seemed Leia was simply unprepared to let her brother out-do her. She'd been the first to crawl – by an entire week (a week that was relatively blissful compared to those that followed) – and the first to stand unaided. It was unacceptable that Luke should do this first. Well then, she'd just have to do better.

Padm's dark haired daughter, who'd inherited her father's furious determination, took five steps before ending on her rear. Laughing delightedly at her feat, Leia clapped her pudgy hands and grinned.

Luke squirmed and Padmé put him down. Once again he stood, no less steadily than before and lifted his feet with care. He made it halfway across the floor to his sister, landing with a bump, and crawling the rest of the way. When he reached her he patted her leg and started giggling, as well.

Watching them Padm's smile broadened into something joyful. She had no doubt that this new skill would bring all sorts of…excitement…into her life, but she couldn't help but be thrilled.

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**A/N: **Eugh! Now that I have that fluff out of the way, I can go back to writing angst. ;-)

_Please review._


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